Chelsea Wives. Anna-Lou Weatherley

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СКАЧАТЬ he said softly. ‘Have you thought about counselling?’

      Calvary snorted derisively.

      ‘Douglas at Relate? I hardly think so!’

      Mystern linked his fingers together and let them rest on top of his polished desk.

      ‘I can recommend a terribly good woman …’

      Calvary let out a hollow laugh.

      ‘Knowing Douglas he’d probably be screwing her within the week,’ she remarked dryly.

      Over the years, Calvary had fought so hard to prevent her marriage from becoming the ridiculous charade that it was. She had tolerated Douglas’s need to find his jollies elsewhere for nigh on two decades, turning a blind eye to the hastily scribbled numbers on the back of napkins, the scent of another woman on his shirt, little gifts she had found that she would never receive …

      Calvary considered it to be her lot in life; most society wives had to turn the other cheek at one time or another throughout their marriage. It was par for the course if you wanted to keep the status and the trappings. Trappings being the operative word. Up until now though, Douglas had stuck to the unspoken rules between them regarding his ‘dalliances’. Discretion was key; as long as he didn’t flaunt it, Calvary could look the other way and console herself with extravagant purchases and luxury holidays. But not this time; this time Douglas had gone too far.

      Calvary took a deep breath. What she was about to say was not going to be easy for her but she knew it was necessary if Nikolas was going to secure her the payout of the century. Even a cheating, immoral son-of-a-bitch like Douglas would want this particular indiscretion kept quiet.

      ‘He’s been screwing our son’s fiancée.’ Calvary fought to banish the image inside her mind of a naked Tamara on top of her husband, her glossy chestnut head thrown back in ecstasy as she rode him furiously, Douglas’s hand grabbing at her pert young breasts as they bounced in slow-motion. She glanced up at Nikolas. If he was shocked by such a revelation he certainly didn’t show it. Perhaps he had seen and heard it all. The thought made Calvary feel deeply depressed.

      ‘I am sorry, Calvary,’ Mystern said finally, his tone one of fatherly concern and causing a lump as hard as granite to form in her throat. ‘That must’ve been a dreadful shock.’

      Calvary nodded, unable to speak for fear of unravelling like a ball of wool. ‘Are you sure I can’t offer you a drink? A real drink, perhaps?’ Nikolas stood, straightened his braces and made his way over to a huge antique globe that stood proudly by the large sash window like a prop from a James Bond film set. It was a little early to start on the hard stuff but today he felt like making an exception.

      ‘Care to join me? A G&T perhaps?’

      ‘What the hell,’ Calvary sniffed.

      ‘That’s a girl,’ Nikolas said, pouring her an exceptionally large measure.

      Calvary gulped back half the contents of her glass and hoped it wouldn’t be long before she would feel the warming effects of the alcohol.

      ‘I want half of everything,’ she announced, her change of tone causing Nikolas to look up from his glass. ‘All of it. The houses, the cars, even his beloved bloody jet! I want to keep the jewellery and, of course, the dogs – definitely the dogs …’ Calvary was animated now, almost up out of her chair, years of hurt and anger emanating from her like radiation. ‘I want to nail that bastard so hard to the wall he really will think he’s bloody Jesus Christ!’ she spat. ‘I deserve to be handsomely rewarded for the years I’ve put up with him sniffing after anything in a skirt, Nikolas. Humiliating me, robbing me of my self-esteem and dignity. But above all, above everything, I want him to pay for betraying our son; his own son, for God’s sake!’ Tears were stinging her eyes now and she sniffed them back.

      Nikolas Mystern drained his glass. He was up on his feet now too, pacing behind his desk, his brow furrowed in thought.

      ‘Did you tell Douglas you were coming to see me today?’ he enquired earnestly.

      ‘Of course not!’ Calvary laughed incredulously. ‘I’ll be the first to admit that I have been foolish over the years, allowing that bastard of a husband of mine to continue to make a mockery of our marriage, but even I’m not that stupid!’ The look on Nikolas Mystern’s face was beginning to trouble her. ‘Why do you ask?’

      ‘It’s odd,’ Nikolas said, continuing to pace the room, ‘but it seems as though Douglas may have pre-empted your moves.’

      ‘What do you mean, pre-empted my moves?’ Calvary felt the first flutters of fear inside her stomach.

      ‘Well,’ Mystern began, ‘I figured when you called a few days ago and said you wanted to see me that it might be prudent, if a little premature of me, to start looking into Douglas’s affairs – financial affairs you understand,’ he felt the need to clarify.

      ‘Go on,’ Calvary encouraged him, her heart beating a song in her chest.

      ‘Taking into account the businesses and his portfolio of properties, Douglas must be worth in excess of £200 million, would you agree?’

      Calvary nodded.

      ‘Tell me, why do you ask?’ she repeated shakily.

      Nikolas took an audible breath, sat back down into his chair and fixed Calvary with a watery-eyed stare. In the most part he enjoyed his job, always had done, but there were times, like this, when he wished he was retired and enjoying his twilight years out on his yacht somewhere on the French Riviera.

      ‘Well, according to my well-placed sources, Douglas Rothschild is worth a big fat sum of nothing.’

      Calvary met his gaze. The room suddenly felt hot and airless.

      ‘That’s ridiculous,’ she snorted dismissively after a long moment. ‘Douglas is the walking epitome of “filthy rich”.’ She laughed then, a hollow, bitter sound.

      ‘That may be,’ Mystern said solemnly. ‘But according to my sources whatever fortune he may have amassed over the years, it’s gone.’

      ‘Gone? Gone?’ Calvary repeated the word as though it were foreign. Her first flutters of fear had now rapidly escalated into full blown panic. ‘But I … I don’t understand,’ she said. The room had begun to spin and she placed a hand on the walnut desk in a bid to steady herself.

      ‘It’s very odd,’ Mystern continued, picking up his Mont Blanc ink pen and stabbing a fresh clean sheet of notebook paper. ‘But the day after you called to make an appointment here, large sums of money were withdrawn from various bank accounts belonging to your husband and an application was made to liquidate his business. It’s as if he somehow knew, or suspected that you were coming to see me.’

      Calvary’s jaw loosened and she began to feel a little faint.

      ‘But … but that’s impossible …’ she stammered.

      ‘Calvary, are you alright? Here, have some water,’ Mystern said, pouring her a glass.

      Douglas Rothschild was a hugely successful property tycoon and was what was known as a ‘fixer’ to the wealthy. If someone needed a house, Douglas would get them a house. СКАЧАТЬ